New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was repeatedly disrupted on Wednesday as Opposition MPs demanded a discussion on the issue of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, and finally adjourned for the day soon after it met for the post-lunch sitting.
The Upper House saw its first adjournment after it met at 11 AM, and the second one at noon. Both the times, the House was adjourned after Opposition protested over the Bihar voter list revision issue.
When the House assembled for the third time at 2 PM, it was adjourned for the day after witnessing similar protests.
At 2 PM, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal moved the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025 for discussion and passing.
Moving the Bill, the minister said it provides for responsibilities, liabilities, rights and immunities attached to carriers with respect to the carriage of goods by sea and matters related to it. The Bill was earlier approved by the Lok Sabha.
It seeks to replace the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925.
As AIADMK MP M Thambidurai stood up to speak on the Bill, the Opposition members continued their protest demanding discussion on the SIR issue, with some even trooping into the Well of the House, while many others remained on their feet.
Opposition MPs raised slogans against the SIR exercise, and also demanded that Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge be allowed to speak.
Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was in the Chair, told Thambidurai that he can continue his speech later, and adjourned the House for the day as the protests continued.
Earlier in the day, the Upper House witnessed similar protests leading to adjournments.
The Opposition members created uproar in the House following rejection of their adjournment notices demanding discussion on various issues, including SIR.
Soon after the listed papers were tabled, Deputy Chairman Harivansh informed that he has received 25 notices under Rule 267 demanding discussion on SIR, demolition of slums in Delhi, alleged discrimination against migrant workers from Bengal in other states, and air safety.
The Chair, however rejected all the adjournment notices, which led to huge protest and sloganeering by MPs of different Opposition parties.
Harivansh urged the House to at least allow Vaiko (MDMK) to raise his Zero Hour mention saying his Rajya Sabha term was ending on July 24.
Vaiko raised the issue related to increasing incidents of arrest of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka even as the protest continued.
When the House met at noon, Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, called the Question Hour to be taken up, but Opposition members were on their feet and demanded that the SIR issue be discussed.
Protesting members ignored requests by the Chair to allow the Question Hour to proceed, forcing adjournment.
When the Chair called the name of CPI’s Sandosh Kumar P to ask his supplementary question, he started raising the SIR issue.
On Tuesday also, the Rajya Sabha had witnessed several adjournments, mainly on SIR matter, and could not conduct any substantial business.
The Lok Sabha was also adjourned for the day at 2 pm on Wednesday amid noisy protests by opposition members protesting against the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
This is the third consecutive day of the Monsoon session that the House has faced disruptions.
Waving placards and raising slogans, opposition members stormed into the Well of the House during the Question Hour, leading to the adjournment of the proceedings for the day.
Earlier the proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm when the protests and sloganeering continued.
Similar scenes played out when the House reconvened and TDP leader Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the Chair, adjourned the proceedings.
Opposition members raised slogans like “SIR wapas lo (Roll back SIR)”.
The opposition is demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, an exercise initiated by the Election Commission ahead of the state assembly polls due later this year.
Speaker Om Birla said the protesting MPs were behaving as if they were on the streets and warned that he would be forced to take “decisive” action against them.
“You should behave in a manner that reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people who have elected you. You should work in a manner and debate and discuss issues that will make people’s lives easier. But you have been showing street-like behaviour in Parliament,” he said.
Birla also told the members that their behaviour does not behove Parliamentarians.
“The MPs are not supposed to carry placards. If you continue with such acts, I will be forced to take decisive action,” he said and asked the members to take their seats.
The House witnessed repeated adjournments and could not function on the first two days of the Monsoon session due to opposition protests over the demand for a discussion on Operation Sindoor and the SIR in Bihar.
